Premier

Dalymount
23 Mar 2018

Bray Wanderers are still failing to establish their game plan and playing pattern, but another loss is disheartening and they currently lie six points off the play-off place, currently occupied by Sligo Rovers, who have a game in hand.

It was heartbreaking for the Bray team who had held the game scoreless for 86 minutes, since the Gypsies levelled after Daniel Kelly's shock early opener, when Dinny Corcoran struck in time added to steal the points for the home side.

Daniel Kelly found himself free in the penalty area to fire a well-judged header down past a helpless Shane Supple after good buildup work by the Bray midfield, skipper Gary McCabe prominent.

But the hosts responded quickly, Ian Morris picking up the ball some 30m out and his well-struck shot left Aaron Dillon with no chance.

For the ensuing quarter of an hour, Bohemians kept the visitors' defence busy, Eoghan Stokes and Oscar Brennan in rapid succession got through on target but fired wide, and a free reached Dan Casey whose header was parried by Dillon, and the Bohs man couldn't get a proper purchase on the return opportunity.

Bray returned to the attack as the half hour approached, and it took a fine stop from Supple to prevent them going ahead again when Darragh Noone connected with a Kevin Lynch free after Aaron Greene was fouled by Darragh Leahy.

The last significant chance of the first period fell to Bohemians. Former Seagull Paddy Kavanagh played a lovely ball into the area, Stokes ran well onto it but then fresh-aired his attempt.

Bray started the better in the second half, thiough another former Bray man, Karl Moore, fed Stokes for a half-chance early on.

Less than a minute later Jake Kelly's well-judged cutback cross found namesake Daniel in a decent position but he couldn't get his legs straight for a shot, which accordingly flew wide.

Minutes later some miscommunication at the Bray back gave Kavanagh another chance, this one ending on the roof of Dillon's net.

But a foul on Jake Kelly seemed likely to prove advantageous, though the low cross which confused the defence was eventually picked up by Supple.

Just after the hour, Gary McCabe had a half chance for Bray as he flashed a rising shot across the Bohs goal from Greene's feed.

As the final quarter hour approached, both sides seemed to pick up the pace. Bohs Substitute Keith Ward passed to Corcoran on the edge of the area where the striker was tackled heavily, but Morris wasted the subsequent setpiece with a badly misdirected shot.

Gypsies' skipper Supple was extended to scramble a stop when Bray's counter-attack reached McCabe, who had a go from distance.

With several stoppages during the play, it was no surprise that time added was lengthy. but it didn't take long for Ward to threaten in the Bray area. Surrounded by defenders, he spotted Corcoran loose and square of him.

He laid the ball off to the striker, who finished neatly to the bottom left corner.

Compiled by Mícheál Ó hUanacháin

Bray Wanderers: 1 Aaron Dillon; 2 Hugh Douglas , 4 Conor Kenna, 3 Kevin Lynch , 5 Seán Heaney; 8 John Sullivan ; 17 Daniel Kelly , 22 Darragh Noone, 11 Jake Kelly ; 21 Gary McCabe (c), 10 Aaron Greene
Subs: 6 Paul O'Conor (for Noone 78), 9 Gerald Pender, 12 Dylan Hayes, 14 Rhys Gorman (for Lynch 85), 18 Calvin Rogers, 19 Rónán Coughlan (for D Kelly 80), 29 Evan Moran (gk)
Bohemians: 1 Shane Supple (c); 4 Dan Casey, 5 Rob Cornwall, 3 Darragh Leahy; 18 Ian Morris , 15 Oscar Brennan, 16 Keith Buckley, 14 Paddy Kavanagh, 7 Karl Moore, 28 Eoghan Stokes; 9 Daniel Corcoran
Subs: 6 Daniel Byrne, 8 Philip Gannon, 10 Keith Ward (for Stokes 59), 11 Kevin Devaney (for Moore 85), 19 JJ Lunney, 25 Colin McCabe (gk), 26 Dylan Watts (for Morris 80)
Referee: Rob Rogers